Since virtual instruments are so cool nowadays, we all remember such thing as ‘real synths’ with ‘real sounds’.
The point is in what I see now - most musicians use real synths like midi-controllers with VST as sound source, and much less using their stock built in or programmed sounds within the board.

The years of M1 and Trinity are gone, but we still have a very nice gear here now…Even with VST’s onboard.

So:

What keyboard do you use?

Are you using keyboard stock sounds or vst library sounds? Or both?

I find this interesting, because one day the technology will probably leave our synths boards outboard

I use a Korg Kronos 88-note version which is now an expensive midi keyboard. For me it is VST’s all the way!

That’s what I’m talking about…

Similar situation here - I’m a proud owner of another not so, but expensive midi keyboard - Kurzweil PC3. But still use it for some sounds that Kurzweil is great on + on live shows as a master keyboard controller.

I love working the hybrid way: using hardware sequencers and synth/samplers to create a concept song, then record and arrange this further in a daw environment. As for synth work: i.e. using my roland Vsynth is a million times more fun and inspiring then any soft synth out there.

I also a use Kurzweil, but a PC1x… have had it for a LONG time now. But yeah, haven’t used the onboard sounds since I got a nice enough computer to run virtual instruments so it’s just a nice MIDI controller now. Once I made the switch I can never go back. Always loved the kurzweil keyboards the best, good piano sound (for onboard sound) and nice strings. Now as a virtual instrument user I am looking at the Kawai VPC1 Virtual Piano Controller. Out of my price range for now, but maybe one day.

I have a Technics KN2000 keyboard and Kurzweil RG100 digital piano. I use them mainly to record and perform my pieces but very occasionally, I’ll use some sounds or even the automated drum beat for a piece when I’m not in the mood to sequence all the percussion myself. I find the different drum styles are also a useful reference to copy/imitate when I’m creating my own custom percussion.

I love working the hybrid way: using hardware sequencers and synth/samplers to create a concept song, then record and arrange this further in a daw environment. As for synth work: i.e. using my roland Vsynth is a million times more fun and inspiring then any soft synth out there.

Yes, nothing is like a great synth - no coffee during samples loading, just turn on - and rawk!

I have a Technics KN2000 keyboard and Kurzweil RG100 digital piano. I use them mainly to record and perform my pieces but very occasionally, I’ll use some sounds or even the automated drum beat for a piece when I’m not in the mood to sequence all the percussion myself. I find the different drum styles are also a useful reference to copy/imitate when I’m creating my own custom percussion.

Now that I have an audio interface, it may not be a bad idea to try to use the built in sounds. I have a Roland EP90. It does not have the greatest sounds (I think it’s like a 15-20 year old keyboard), but with some effects and such, it might sound pretty cool.

I have a Korg Oasys 88 key weighted keyboard. It’s beautiful and does all sorts of wonderful stuff, but I almost exclusively use virtual instruments for everything I do. Occasionally I’ll use the Oasys’s sounds (some of them are beautiful) but I’m more likely to use stuff from my Virus TI. Like Graham, my Oasys is a really expensive deluxe midi controller…

I’ve actually been trying to get back into the world of using outboard hardware synths to compliment my software ones. Currently, quite a few of the sounds I’m using in my work come from my Novation Bass Station II and MiniNova, and occasionally my Roland TR-707 drum machine from 1985!

One thing I’ve definitely come to realise over the past couple of years is how much I miss the hands-on creativity that’s involved in using hardware synths. There something about dialling up sounds and essentially fiddling with a picture on a screen with a mouse, that doesn’t fully hit that creative mark for me.

Untethering yourself from the computer and messing with real knobs and sliders in a much more satisfying experience. Sometimes I’ll lay in bed with my MiniNova on my lap creating and editing patches for future tracks! (Yep, I don’t live with my girlfriend at the moment. That would NEVER be allowed if I did!)

However, always on the lookout for new tech, my attention has been drawn to the new Roland System-1, which features a new so called ‘plug-out’ technology. Basically, where software plugins can be physically loaded onto the keyboard’s RAM. An interesting concept. But I think it goes to show that many people aren’t quite prepared to work completely ‘in the box’, as it were.

I have a beat up and well gigged Nord thingymebob. It’s fun to use and I record a fair bit live without sequencing as I enjoy that more. Good electric pianos and organs and decent piano. I likes it and it has become like an old friend and companion

I still have my old Roland XV-3080 and I recently bought a minibrute but they are criminally underused purely because of the convenience of software synths.

I agree with Alumo though, nothing beats getting deep into a synth and really finding it’s character and creating new sounds. I still have an RX5 drum machine that looks at me every day, wanting some love, but I got caught up in a maschine love affair

I’m a professional PC keyboard player! haha. I use my pc keyboard as a midi interface in propellerheads reason, kind of got used to it. The thing is i write most of my stuff at work, so i can’t afford to be seen with a midi keyboard, too suspicious!

I’m a professional PC keyboard player! haha. I use my pc keyboard as a midi interface in propellerheads reason, kind of got used to it. The thing is i write most of my stuff at work, so i can’t afford to be seen with a midi keyboard, too suspicious!

It’s kind of funny, but when I discovered computer music about a year ago, this is how I started out (with the pc keyboard, not at work though lol), and some of the music was actually better than what I am writing right now. I think sometimes when we are confined (that is, when we have limitations), we make better use of those limitations. When we have very little in the way of limitations, it’s sometimes more difficult to stay focused and not take our luxuries for granted.

I’m a professional PC keyboard player! haha. I use my pc keyboard as a midi interface in propellerheads reason, kind of got used to it. The thing is i write most of my stuff at work, so i can’t afford to be seen with a midi keyboard, too suspicious!

It’s kind of funny, but when I discovered computer music about a year ago, this is how I started out (with the pc keyboard, not at work though lol), and some of the music was actually better than what I am writing right now. I think sometimes when we are confined (that is, when we have limitations), we make better use of those limitations. When we have very little in the way of limitations, it’s sometimes more difficult to stay focused and not take our luxuries for granted.

That’s for sure! Creativity comes from putting limits and expanding from there.